John to lead women’s football team in Berlin

Gabriel John has been appointed the Team Maccabi GB open women’s football manager for the European Maccabi Games 2015 in Berlin. The appointment follows increased efforts by Maccabi GB to increase the involvement of Women and Girls Football within the Community. He will be assisted by Dan Rook as his number two. John is well-versed […]

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Gabriel John has been appointed the Team Maccabi GB open women’s football manager for the European Maccabi Games 2015 in Berlin.

The appointment follows increased efforts by Maccabi GB to increase the involvement of Women and Girls Football within the Community. He will be assisted by Dan Rook as his number two.

John is well-versed in football management having overseen four sides in the Maccabi GB Southern Football League (MGBSFL) over a career spanning nearly 20 seasons. He also has experience managing women’s sides, including a competitive five-a-side team. His footballing career has seen him play for a number of semi-professional sides as a young man, before turning out for Jewish teams on a Sunday morning.

Speaking about what it feels like to be appointed in his role, and what his aims are for Berlin 2015, he said: “Being selected as Team Maccabi GB’s Open Women’s Manager is a huge honour and one I hope that, with Dan Rook at my side, we can make a huge success of at next year’s European Maccabi Games.

“There are some talented women footballers out there and, thanks to the likes of Kate Freeman and Claire Lewis who have helped in boosting the awareness of Women’s Football within the Community, I know we can take a competitive and talented side capable of coming home with a medal. To be asked to represent British Jewry on the whole is a fantastic honour, and I know our side will do Maccabi GB and the whole of Great Britain’s Jewish Community proud. I cannot underline enough the importance of what a Women’s Football team means to this competition. To have female, Jewish footballers competing alongside each other in Germany is a truly historic event and one any player should and will be proud to be a part of.”

Before the appointment of the management team, Maccabi GB hosted a number of open training sessions for players who fall into Open Women’s and Junior Girls categories to attend. The next one – which will act as the first chance for players to demonstrate their abilities to new Manager, John – will be on Thursday 24th April and will run alongside the Open Men’s Football Team Southern Trial. It will be at Maccabi London Brady Sports Ground, Rowley Lane from 6:30pm-8:30pm.